How many times have you waited and waited before finally committing to a purchase because the timing just wasn’t quite right? Think about what urged you to pull the trigger and complete the purchase. What about that timing felt right?

The best marketing promotions are those that create a sense of urgency. They give prospects the impression that they have virtually no choice but to buy right then and there. Urgency tends to move people from thinking into action.

6 Easy Ways to Get Consumers to Act with Urgency

Urgency, and your business’s ability to create a sense of it, is one of the most accessible tools in your arsenal for nurturing leads and prospects into closed deals.

Here are 6 creative promotions ideas focusing on creating that much-needed sense of urgency and timeliness for your slower-closing leads and contacts.

1. Incentivize last-minute appointments and walk-ins.

No-shows and missed appointments plague small businesses, making big fat dents in bottom lines every day. Not only do they account for lost revenue, they rob your employees and technicians of income and tips. So they could even affect employee turnover and your ability to provide stellar customer service.

Healthcare providers, salons and spas experience the worst of it, with some of the highest rates of no-shows being reported anywhere from 12 to 50%.

Aside from having cancellation and no-show policies in place, there’s another way you can make up for the potentially lost revenue. Put tools in place that help you get the message out fast regarding last-minute availability.

Many small businesses use social media sites like Instagram for these urgent openings. If your following is hyper-active on social media, that could be a great solution. Even better, text message marketing boasts a 98% open rate. So a quick text blast offering up a newly open appointment, if targeted to the right individuals, is bound to get you responses.

Some inspiration:

“A last-minute cancellation for us means a last-minute opportunity for you! Get 25% off when you call Color Me Curly now at 123-4567-8999 to book your root touch-up today.”

“Are your pearly whites feeling more like dull yellows? Come in to Dave’s Dentistry for a walk-in cleaning today, and get a free teeth whitening consultation.”

2. Discount in-person and on-the-spot bookings.

Contractors, electricians, landscapers and all types of home service providers can relate to the pain of leaving an estimate knowing you were *thiiiis* close to sealing the deal but couldn’t. Not only have you wasted time with a free consultation and estimate, it’s easy to move on to the next job and forget to follow up.

Instead of delivering an estimate and leaving, work in on-the-spot booking discounts and incentives.

They sound something like, “We have 2 big projects scheduled for next week, and our schedule is filling up into summer. But if you book today, my team could get started tomorrow and get this job taken care of. I’ll even offer you 10% off.”

3. Turn free quotes and consultations into upsell opportunities.

If you rush through free consultations and estimates because they’re not generating revenue on the spot, you’re making a big mistake. Aside from selling your core products or services, these are excellent opportunities to reveal upsell offers and other timely promotions.

For example, if you run a doggy daycare, you probably let potential clients bring their pups in for tours of your facility. Though they may not be ready to book long-term stays for their pooches, don’t forget to mention your grooming and day-play services! Entice them toward upsell opportunities with steep discounts and free upgrades.

4. Put time limits on special offers and seasonal promotions.

Ever been up against a tight deadline? There’s nothing like a ticking clock to push even the worst procrastinators into action. The same goes for offers from your small business. Even if you don’t actually have a reason to place a time limit on your promotions or special offers, you can create urgency by doing so.

Some ideas:

“Seasonal inventory change – all must go!”

“Summer styles 25% off!”

“All tailgating products 15% off before this week’s big game only!”

5. Create scarcity.

When people think something is running out, they want it more. Realtors use this to their advantage when they tell potential buyers there’s competition for a particular house, or when they limit their showings. When there’s a perception of competition, buyers are more likely to act fast in an attempt to get in on a deal before it’s too late.

Even if you’re not in real estate, create scarcity (and as a byproduct, urgency) by communicating that there’s limited availability of your products, services or bookings.

6. Talk pain points, not products.

When people feel frustrated, uncomfortable or upset, they’re likely to want to get out of these feelings as quickly as possible. If you can use your marketing and promotions to put people in a state of discomfort, you can create an opportunity to solve whatever problem you’re identifying for consumers.

Begin marketing messages with the problems or paint points you most commonly solve. Then, communicate how you can fix those problems and relieve that pain faster than the competition.

Not a Writer?

Coming up with promotions is one thing. Putting them into action is another. Writing compelling marketing copy, choosing the right digital marketing channels, and pressing send can sound like a lot of work.

If it seems out of reach, let Thryv show you how we automate it and handle the heavy lifting. Even better, Thryv helps small business owners identify and organize contacts and prospects most ready to buy with a customizable CRM (customer relationship management) system. So building text and email marketing campaigns to nurture these folks becomes a breeze. Learn more today.